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Friday, May 17, 2013

South African Legislature

Protests against the
secrecy bill in Cape Town in November 2011, when the national assembly
first approved it. The bill has been passed by 189 votes to 74, with one
absention. Photograph: Mike Hutchings/Reuters

Alert! Now that Parliament has passed the Secrecy Bill and sent it to
President Jacob Zuma for conversion, by sweet executive alchemy, into
law, South Africa’s civil society is fighting back – the charge being
led, appropriately, by the Right2Know campaign.

Protection of State Information Bill also known as the Secrecy bill, goes against freedom itself. It will have press, media and the citizens of this country, which is known for its all inclusive constitution, is now doing things differently. All that stands between freedom of speech and complete state secrecy is the signature of the president.

What would the implementation of this bill mean?

“Despite substantial improvements to the secrecy bill, whistleblowers
and journalists who expose corruption and other issues of public
interest could still find themselves in prison,” said Cameron Jacobs,
South Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “The Constitutional Court
should decide whether the current version undermines basic rights
protected by the constitution.” - Human Rights Watch

Freedom of speech
activists acknowledge that the bill has been greatly improved and
amended during five years of fierce national debate. But they warn that
it still contains ambiguities and harsh penalties that could have a
"chilling effect" on those seeking to expose official corruption. They
intend to challenge the legislation in the highest court in the land - The Guardian,

But i tell you the way things look, protestors are rallying, getting into battle formation and is ready to fight for what they believe in.